Thompson Rivers University is an official partner for World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development 2026, a UNESCO-proclaimed international day that celebrates the role of engineering in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Launched March 4 in Jakarta, Indonesia, World Engineering Day 2026 begins a year-long global campaign under the theme “Smart engineering for a sustainable future through innovation and digitalisation”.
As part of the campaign, TRU is profiled for its leadership in wildfire research, education, training and innovation. The university’s World Engineering Day webpage and feature video showcase how applied research, digital innovation and collaboration are helping build wildfire-ready communities in Canada and beyond.
As climate change drives longer and more complex wildfire seasons, TRU’s work demonstrates how science and community collaboration can support sustainable development.
“Engineering for a sustainable future is about solving real-world problems in ways that are practical, innovative and grounded in community,” says Dr. Airini, president and vice-chancellor of TRU.
“Wildfire is truly one of the defining challenges of our time and TRU is responding by bringing a wide range of partners together to help better understand fire behaviours, improve forecasting and strengthen community resilience. This is applied research with local impact and global relevance.”
TRU’s Institute for Wildfire Science, Adaptation and Resiliency is at the forefront of that work. Led by Dr. Mike Flannigan, researchers are using medium-range ensemble fire weather forecasts to predict fire conditions up to 10 days in advance, providing critical time for preparedness and informed decision-making.
Complementary research, led by Dr. Jill Harvey, examines historical wildfire regimes through dendrochronology, using tree-ring analysis to reconstruct past fires and understand how ecosystems respond to fire over time. This work helps inform forest regeneration, biodiversity protection and long-term recovery planning.
Dr. Kara Lefevre’s research focuses on how biodiversity and ecosystems respond to disturbance such as wildfire. Using field data collected by students monitoring post-fire change, her work informs recovery planning and ecological restoration.
A strong partnership with the BC Wildfire Service helps bridge the gap between research and operations, strengthening both education and on-the-ground response.
“Powerful partnerships drive our world-class wildfire work here in B.C. Our partnership with Thompson Rivers University means a stronger wildfire response, and better preparation,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “As the threat of wildfire continues to grow, we will continue to rely on TRU’s research to inform our work on the ground. This is how we better protect forests, communities and people.”
World Engineering Day is operated by the World Federation of Engineering Organisations and brings together engineers, governments and institutions from more than 100 countries. Through its partnership, TRU is sharing its wildfire research and education initiatives with a global audience.
By connecting engineering with sustainability and community resilience, TRU’s participation in World Engineering Day 2026 reinforces its commitment to a more adaptive, informed and sustainable future. Learn more at worldengineeringday.net.
Thompson Rivers University is leading in sustainability. Learn more about TRU’s contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
